Elizabeth killings at 3 so far this year, well below annual homicide rate

Elizabeth has recorded three homicides so far this year, far below its annual average of 12 since 1985. Star-Ledger file photo

ELIZABETH — On May 8, a 48-year-old woman was choked to death in her Madison Avenue apartment.

Twelve days later, a 37-year-old city man died of complications from a stabbing he sustained a week earlier.

And in the early hours of Sept. 26, in a crowded Elizabethport bar, a 27-year-old was stabbed to death.

Although authorities have pinpointed suspects in both of the May killings and detectives are narrowing the list of suspects in the September homicide, no arrests have been made in connection with the three killings.

But there is also a palpable sense of relief in New Jersey’s fourth-largest city: Those three are the city’s only homicides to date this year.

By the end of September last year, 11 people had been killed in what has traditionally been Union County's homicide capital. With just three months left in the year, Elizabeth is on pace to have the fewest killings in a calendar year since 2009, when five were killed.

Although there are nearly three months left in the year, and violent crime rates often follow no discernible pattern, city police Director James Cosgrove called the homicide figure a positive indicator.

While acknowledging that “there’s no one magic answer,” Cosgrove said the department has implemented several strategies designed to combat violent crime. Those include “proactive units” of plainclothes officers in unmarked cars targeting neighborhoods, bars and sometimes individuals that have a propensity to attract criminal activity, most of it drug-related, he said.

“We’ve been very successful,” Cosgrove said.

He said police, residents and council members were also holding meetings to address crime and related quality-of-life issues.

Salaam Ismial, the city-based director of the National United Youth Council, called the reduction in crime “phenomenal,” particularly since the city got through the summer without a killing.

“We have great cooperation among community, politicians, clergy and even the roughnecks on the corner,” he said.

Ismial also said that Mayor Chris Bollwage, Cosgrove and council members have been responsive to residents’ concerns about crime.

But he also commended what he called the “humility” of residents who have taken leadership role within their communities.

“They have a vested interest,” he said. “Those who were anti-police started working with the police. Community leaders have to fix the problem.”

Cosgrove said a curfew ordinance and related program designed to funnel juveniles off the streets and into social programs also appears to have cut down on crime.

Most violent and nonviolent crimes — from car thefts to assaults — were down citywide through August, according to State Police statistics. Only robberies were up, although by just 3 percent. Overall, violent crime was down 11 percent and nonviolent crime 19 percent, according to the State Police.

The number of homicides countywide has also dropped, with 14 recorded so far this year, according to statistics kept by the county prosecutor’s office. Union County averaged about 28 killings a year for 10 years ending in 2012, and had a low of 14 in 2009.

Elizabeth’s low homicide numbers are in perhaps starkest contrast with those of neighboring Newark, where 71 had been killed through Wednesday, including 10 during an especially bloody 10-day period in August and September. Newark, which has twice the population of Elizabeth, is on pace to surpass the 96 killings it had last year, according to the State Police.

Despite dips in the overall and violent crime rate in Newark, Jersey City and Trenton, killings were up in each of those cities through August, the last month for which State Police statistics were available.

Since 1985, Elizabeth has recorded homicides in the single digits just five times. It has averaged just over 12 since then, with 14 recorded in 2012.

“It seems to be working,” Cosgrove said of the department’s overall strategy. “So we have to keep doing it.”